The Chimera Squad: Part I, Chapter 2 - Regression (578 hits)
Category: Quotes & StoriesRating: 2 on 5 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by a_little_more_time (View user info) at 2005-07-19 01:15:01 EDT
Previous Chapters:
Prologue - Homecoming: http://www.ubersite.com/m/70750
Part I, Chapter 1: Reintegration: http://www.ubersite.com/m/70948
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Lucas awoke just a few hours later, covered in a cold sweat. Years of working guard duty, sleeping in shifts and remaining vigilant for enemy assaults had killed his ability to get a full night's sleep, and since his discharge he had not been able to rest peacefully even for a short amount of time.
He rose slowly and ran a hand wearily through his chestnut hair. For one anxious moment, he did not recollect where he was, but the day's events soon came flooding back to him. He sighed and shook his head in personal disappointment. Surely his words had upset both Min and her mother, who had been good enough to invite him to stay in their home for as long as he wished. He had not meant to do so, but his feelings on the war had remained restrained for too long, and as a result he had unleashed a deluge of invective against probably the only real friend he had left.
"What a gracious guest you are," Luc muttered to himself as he slid out of bed with a grunt. The oil lamp on the bed stand had been lit at some point while he slept; she had even thought to do that. He quietly stretched his stiffened muscles, and then walked to the small window. Twilight was falling into peaceful night. Lucas could hear noises from the floor below, where Min and Lenneth were undoubtedly preparing the last meal of the day.
Lucas felt significantly calmer and more subdued now that he had rested some, and he found himself more comfortable with the notion of settling here once more. Before he had left to enlist, he had been an adept field hand, and he could easily resume the position now. Tillman's Village was always wanting for more strong, healthy bodies with a knack for agriculture, and the idea of a long, quiet life was beginning to appeal to him.
Light suddenly caught his eye and snapped him out of his reverie. A dozen pinpricks were quickly making their way down the slope near the entrance to town. Lucas watched them intently as they came into view: twelve riders on horseback, bearing long-stem torches. By the time they reached the center of the village, from his vantage point he could recognize the emblems on the horse blankets. The sight made his heart leap into his throat.
"Oh, no."
He rushed to the door and hastily threw on his clothes and strapped his sheath to his back, then rushed down the hall and took the stairs two at a time, hurtling downstairs. He turned a corner and banged into the kitchen, where Min and her mother were busy cooking. They both turned in fright to regard him at the commotion.
Min took a step toward him. "Luc, what's—"
He cut her off. "Hokuten soldiers are here. We have to get out."
Min looked confused, but Lenneth appeared positively shocked. Before they could react further, there was a pounding at the front door. A gruff voice sounded from the other side. "Summoner Maeda! By the authority of the Throne of Igros, you are ordered to leave your home and surrender yourself for questioning!"
Lucas stared at Lenneth, waiting for her to make a move. When she started toward the front door, he stepped in front of her and shook his head silently. When she tried to move past him, he blocked her with his arm. "You don't want to go out there," he hissed fiercely. "Igros doesn't send the Hokuten to arrest people."
Both women seemed to catch his meaning, but the elder remained resolute. "I have no choice," she whispered, tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes. "If I run, there's no telling what they'll do to the village." She pushed past Luc and started toward the door.
Min started to follow her. "Mom..." Luc grabbed her roughly and moved to the servant's entrance. She struggled against him. "Let me go!"
Luc gave her a shake. "Shut up! As far as they know, she's the only one in the house. Now, stop acting a fool and come with me." He pulled her out of the manor. "Maybe there's something we can do."
As Lenneth close the front door behind her, the pair made their way silently around to the east end of the home, where they crouched down behind some shrubs. Lucas could hear voices but could not make out the conversation. He turned back to Min. "We need to get closer. Follow me, but keep your head down and your mouth shut." He started to move once more.
They paused once more, now much nearer to the main entrance, and knelt down. Lucas peered quickly around the corner. He counted eleven men, ten Hokuten and one bearing a cloak with a symbol he didn't recognize. They hadn't laid a hand on Lenneth, but she certainly looked terrified. He watched as the soldiers parted to let the cloaked man closer to her.
Min's voice whispered in his ear. "What's happening?" He reached back without looking and pinched her arm to remind her to be silent. He shifted his position slightly to get a better view while she took his place to see as well.
The cloaked man, whoever he was, cut an imposing figure. He was tall, taller than any man he had ever seen, and had straight, golden hair down to the small of his back. The cloak he wore bore a symbol of a chrysanthemum pierced in the center with a blade, an emblem at once both beautiful and ominous. His facial features were angular, almost chiseled, and as he approached the Summoner he wore a smile that chilled Lucas to the bone. He radiated cruelty from his very being, and at once Luc knew that Lenneth was in danger.
By now, the lights and voices had awoken more than a few villagers, who had dressed and were now out in the street, watching in confusion. Lucas noticed that while they were not drawing near enough to interfere, they had garnered the attention of a few of the Hokuten soldiers, who were now maneuvering into position to ensure they remained at bay.
The man regarded Min's mother calmly for a few moments before speaking. "Summoner, I must ask that you accompany us back to Igros." His voice was soft in tone, but carried a subtle menace in it. Lucas likened it to that of a sleeping wolf.
Lenneth managed to stop shaking and compose herself. "This village requires my services daily. If I am to do so, I should need to know the reason why you require my presence in the capital."
His smile grew wider. "I don't doubt it." He leveled his gaze at her. "As you may know, as the victor in the war, Igros has recently acquired these surrounding lands as new territory. As such, they are now subject to our laws...which includes mandatory worship of the Queen Mother."
Lenneth met his eyes with her own. "Ah. Then you are here to enforce that faith, are you?"
"Indeed I am." He bowed low, a sweeping and grandiose gesture. "My name is Israfel, Captain of the Holy Faith of Our Queen Mother, and I am here to respectfully request that you abide your position of Summoner and travel to Igros with us so that you may speak with our priests and receive their blessings."
Lenneth's visage darkened. "You wish to convert me?"
"That is our aim, yes."
She smiled confidently. "I apologize, but to this I cannot consent. I have no faith in your religion, and I would be betraying the other people of this village as well as myself if I chose to preach your gospel."
Israfel smiled wider now, and nodded slowly before turning to a large, burly Hokuten sergeant. "Brenner, please handle the rest of this." He then stepped away from the Summoner and began to make his way past the rest of the soldiers.
The one called Brenner took his place and, in one smooth motion, grasped Lenneth by the hair, yanked her head back, drew a knife, and slit her throat.
Instinctively, Lucas grabbed Min by the wrist to keep her from moving. Thankfully, she was mindful enough of the situation to emit only a small squeak before cutting off her own scream. Lenneth managed one slight gasp, hands clutching at her wound and eyes wide, before falling to her knees and collapsing.
The villagers' reaction was instant and devoid of hesitation. They rushed the soldiers, throwing hands and feet against armored men with swords in hand. This would not last long.
"Dammit!" Lucas spat. He turned back to Min, shaking and pale, and put his hands gently on her shoulders. "Min." She didn't even look at him; she could not tear her eyes away from her mother's body. He shook her. "Min!" She turned her eyes back to him. "I want you to stay here. No matter what happens, STAY HERE, and don't make a sound." She nodded dumbly. "Remember, you're next in line. We NEED a Summoner. Okay?" Another nod.
Lucas turned away, rose to his feet, and drew his sword. He took a single deep breath, then turned the corner and ran full tilt toward the nearest soldier.
He wasn't sure if it was his battle cry or merely the shock of seeing an armed man in a village of farmers, but that Hokuten private stood frozen in his tracks right up to the moment that Lucas swung his blade and beheaded him. The other men didn't even have a chance to react before he was upon another, dashing forward, knocking his weapon from his hand and then piercing him through the breastplate.
It all came back to Lucas easily. Everything that had kept him alive in battle flooded back into him, filling his eyes, his arms, his legs. He pivoted on his feet, swept his blade low and tripped another, then buried the sword in his abdomen. Retrieving the weapon, he turned quickly and spied Israfel striding evenly to his horse.
"No, you can't. You can't come here and do this. Not while the sword is STILL IN MY HANDS—"
Lucas shoved two figures out of the way (villager or soldier, he did not know or care) and screamed the cloaked man's name.
Israfel stopped and turned slowly, staring at him and his clothes. "Oh. A Nanten regular." He turned back to his horse and reached into the blanket and withdrew something. "I didn't expect any official resistance. This should be a treat." He brandished the object in his hands.
The object appeared to be a sword, but it was unlike any Lucas had ever seen. The blade alone was five feet long, and it had a slight curve to it. It was a wicked-looking weapon, and the ease with which Israfel held and carried it told Lucas that he was not to be trifled with.
That didn't matter. "You Hokuten dog!" Luc raised his blade and moved forward.
Israfel smiled again. "Fool. The Hokuten are the least of your worries now."
Lucas swung, but his opponent moved so quickly that steel met only steel.
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Min rose to her feet shakily, bracing herself against the side of the manor, and stumbled over to her mother's corpse. She knelt over it and began to weep silently, placing a hand gently on Lenneth's forehead.
After a moment, she composed herself somewhat and spoke softly. "I'm so sorry, Mom...I know I promised you that I'd never..." She choked back a sob. "...but I have to. I have to." She stood and turned on her toes, striding down the steps to the maelstrom ahead.
A soldier to her left finished off a villager, then turned to notice her advancing. He ran out to attack her, but before he could swing his weapon the air around them began to crackle with energy. No, not energy. Heat.
Min raised her hand, closed her eyes, and muttered something under her breath. A heartbeat later that Hokuten private quite literally burst into flame. His clothes and flesh burned first, but the heat was so intense that his mail fused to his body. He screamed only for a moment, then simply fell over as the fire continued to consume him.
Min kept walking.
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Israfel was simply too fast, too skilled with his cruel weapon, for Lucas' blade to find purchase on flesh. The pair moved back and forth, neither side gaining ground, as Tillman's Village's inhabitants continued to die around them.
Suddenly, Lucas made an error, overextending his swing, his muscles beginning to flag. Israfel ducked neatly under the attack and brought his blade up and to the side, slicing Luc across the middle.
The sudden painful chill of steel took Lucas' breath away, and as he dropped to his knees he felt the familiar sensation of lifeblood rushing out of his body. He managed to brace himself on his blade as his adversary advanced on him in long strides.
Israfel held out his sword. "Is that all the Nanten Army has to offer?" he asked, taunting. "Where is your motivation?"
Lucas gritted his teeth and struggled to his feet. "Right here."
He swung wildly again, but the speed of his recovery had caught Israfel off guard, and his weapon flew to the side. Lucas took his opening and lunged forward, thrusting, and sunk his sword into his right shoulder.
In an instant, Israfel's smug demeanor shattered. He screamed in agony but managed to keep a grasp on his blade. He raised a foot against Luc's body and pushed, withdrawing the edge from his body.
Both men stumbled backward, but Israfel used his momentum to turn and fumble his way to the top of his horse. Slumping forward in the saddle, he cried out. "Retreat!" With that and no other orders to his men, he coaxed the animal around and rode away. The remaining Hokuten, watching their commander flee, followed suit.
Lucas managed a few halfhearted steps of pursuit, but the rush of battle quickly abandoned him. Pain rushed in to replace it. He wavered for a moment on his feet, then tossed his sword aside and collapsed.
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He awoke once more in his room in the manor. His eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the sunlight streaming in through the window. Sunlight. He must've slept through the night.
Min was standing over him, an anxious look on her face. When she noticed that he was awake, that look was replaced with relief. "Oh, Luc, thank goodness!" She fell to her knees and tossed her arms around his neck.
It was a struggle to speak, but he managed. "Are you...?"
She released him and stood, wiping her eyes and sniffing. "Yes, I'm unhurt. You..." She pointed to his chest, which had been recently wrapped in fresh bandages. "Does it hurt?"
He tried to sit up, and his efforts were rewarded with fiery agony shooting across his body. He let out a groan and relented, falling back against the pillow. "Oh, damn, does it hurt..."
She smiled sadly. "The villagers that survived, they..." She looked away. "They helped patch you up."
He covered his eyes with an arm. "Thank them for me." He paused for a moment, then a thought occurred to him. "Was that sergeant's...Brenner's body among the dead?"
Her answer was so instant that she must've looked personally for him. "No. He escaped." Her voice was filled with more disappointment than she would've liked to admit.
That told him everything he wanted to know, but he asked the question regardless. "You want to go after him...don't you?"
Min said nothing at first, then nodded. "Him and Israfel, both."
His eyes closed. In the end, he should've known that the words he'd spoken to Min yesterday were the truest he'd ever uttered. War had changed him. He had felt more alive, more at home, killing those men last night than he ever had since the close of the conflict. Now, try as he had to escape it, it had found him again, and what terrified him more than anything else was that he wanted nothing more to throw himself into it again.
But this time was different. This time he had his own reasons to fight, and this time someone dear to him would be coming with him, if he chose to go. It seemed to him that on the surface, this all warranted a great deal of consideration. Deep down, though, he knew that there was no choice to be made, no great thought needed. He knew what he was going to do before he even asked Min what she wanted to do.
"As soon as I can march," he said quietly, "we'll go."
Min reached out her hand and took his gently, then squeezed it. "Thank you."
"Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I; and let it be a witness between you and me".
-Genesis 31:44
User Reviews
Submitted by doctorj24 (user info) at 2005-08-02 18:12:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'll read this sometime.
Submitted by Ducky (user info) at 2005-07-19 08:46:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Maelstrom. What a great word. Off topic, there's a movie called that...quite entertaining, as is your story.
Submitted by rad1101 (user info) at 2005-07-19 03:26:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
OMG BIBLE QUOTES -2DIE
Submitted by a_little_more_time (user info) at 2005-07-19 03:24:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Hey, thanks. Thanks for giving me a -2 with nothing to say for it.
I don't mind the -2 itself, though. Not at all. I've gotten plenty already.
The least you might've done, though, is said something relevant or funny. Saying that I used the same three synonyms for "sword" all the way through (which, after reading this through a 10th time, I see that I did) would've been reason enough, for fuck's sake. If you even bothered to read this, the least you could've done is said something constructive.
Hell, just insulting me or saying something funny/clever would've satisfied me. Instead you just say something meaningless and move on.
Fucking asshat.
Oh, and if you fucked up the rating and you meant a +2, then...
...uh...
...sex = you get?
Submitted by axisofjesus (user info) at 2005-07-19 03:06:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Kicker of all ass (+2)